Oatmeal Bars

2 1/2 cups oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup mashed bananas and/or applesauce
1/2 cup plant milk or water
1/4 cup maple syrup or brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup assorted nuts, seeds, dried fruit
      for example: 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
                            1/4 cup Craisins, dates or chocolate chips
                            2 Tablespoons sunflower seeds
                            2 Tablespoons shredded coconut

Preheat oven to 350f degrees.

Dry Ingredients: Blend one cup of the oats into flour. In a medium bowl, stir together oats, flour, baking soda, and cinnamon.

Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl stir together bananas and/or applesauce, milk, syrup or sugar, and vanilla.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix well. Stir in the nut and dried fruit mixture.

Pour onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet and shape into 1/2 inch thick slab.

Bake about 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean.

Allow to cool 10 minutes and cut into bars.

Apple Cornbread

This recipe is for a big batch of cornbread (9"x 13") but can easily be halved.  Similar to Oat Cornbread,  apple cornbread calls for fresh chopped apple instead of applesauce.

2 cups cornmeal (wholegrain if possible)
2 cups oat flour (grind 2 1/2 cups rolled oats in blender)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup dates, chopped
1 cup chopped apple
2 cups plant-based milk

Preheat oven to 350f.

Process oats in a blender and transfer to large mixing bowl. Add cornmeal and baking powder and mix well.

Put dates, apples and milk in blender and process until dates are finely chopped. Pour date-apple-milk onto dry ingredients in the mixing bowl and stir until just mixed.

Spread batter into ungreased 9"x 13" glass baking dish and bake at 350 for 30 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted at center comes out clean.

Notes

 Eat within two or three days or freeze for longer storage.

             For a smaller batch, cut ingredients in half

             and bake in an 8" x 8" pan for 20-25 minutes.

Easy Granola

The original recipe for this granola said to first boil the dates with water on top of the stove and then blend to thicken. I find it's easier to leave out the first cooking step and just put all the ingredients except oats into the blender, then stir the blended mixture with the oats and bake.

Ingredients

6 cups oats

3/4 cups applesauce

1 cup dates, chopped

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 teaspoons cinnamon

Instructions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Measure oats into a large bowl. Place dates, applesauce, vanilla and cinnamon in a blender or food processor and process until smooth, adding a 1/4 cup water if necessary to blend. Pour the date mixture onto the oats and stir well.

Spread granola onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. 

Allow to cool. The granola will get crisper as it cools. Store at room temperature in a covered container.

Banana Oat Bars

Ingredients

2 cups quick-cooking rolled oats (not instant)
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup raisins or chopped dates
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
2 large ripe bananas, mashed
3/4 cup finely chopped apple
2 tablespoons ground flax seeds

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl until well combined. Press into a 9-by-9-inch baking pan and bake for 30 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. When cool, cut into squares or bars.

Serves: 8 - Recipe from Dr. Fuhrman's website

Oat Cornbread

This cornbread recipe has no eggs, dairy, wheat, oil, salt or sugar, but it is moist and tasty.  Serve at breakfast with fruit or for dinner along with chili and salad. Oat cornbread also makes a satisfying snack.

Ingredients

1 cup cornmeal

1 cup oat flour (grind 1 1/4 cups rolled oats in blender)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 cup unsweetened plant-based milk such as almond, rice, soy
   (plain or vanilla flavored)

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

6 dates, chopped (snip whole dates with kitchen shears)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 F.  Process 1 1/4 cups of rolled oats in a blender to make flour - should take less than one minute.  Transfer oat flour to a large bowl.  Put dates, plant-based milk and applesauce in blender and allow to dates to soak for a few minutes to soften.

Meanwhile, add cornmeal and baking powder to the bowl with the oat flour and stir all together.

Process the dates, milk and applesauce together until the dates are well blended. Pour the date-milk-applesauce mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients and stir together just until mixed.  Spread batter into ungreased 9" square or round baking dish.  Bake 20 - 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Makes 9 servings.  Loosen around the edges of the baking dish with a sharp knife. After the cornbread cools, cover the dish and store the bread at room temperature. Leftover bread stays moist for the next two or three days.

Oat Cornbread with cracked pattern on top

For Apple Cornbread, substitute fresh chopped apple for applesauce.